KR20210083851A - Vehicular electronic control unit using multi-core microcontroller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller. The electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller of the present invention includes: a first core for controlling a first domain; a second core for controlling a second domain; a shared resource that the first core and the second core can use in common; and an arbitration core which mediates use of the shared resource between the first core and the second core.

Description

Electronic control device for vehicle using multi-core microcontroller {VEHICULAR ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT USING MULTI-CORE MICROCONTROLLER}

The present invention relates to an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller that implements a multi-controller of a vehicle using a microcontroller including a multi-core.

Recently, various electronic control technologies are applied to vehicles to promote convenience of drivers and safety of vehicle operation. As the electronic control technology of a vehicle is continuously developed, cost reduction is required in order to secure the competitiveness of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU).

A vehicle is equipped with various control elements, and for this purpose, an electronic control device is also developed in the form of a multi-controller for a plurality of control functions. A conventional electronic control device for multiple control uses an individual microcontroller (MCU) for each control function. In electronic control devices, MCU occupies a large portion of production cost, and thus reducing the number of MCUs is a good way to reduce costs, but it is not easy to reduce the number of MCUs and perform the same control function as before.

For this reason, until now, it has been common to mount a plurality of MCUs on a printed circuit board (PCB) provided in a housing of an electronic control device. In addition, even when a single MCU includes a plurality of cores, an efficient method for linking a plurality of cores included in the MCU with other electronic elements for operation of the MCU has not been proposed.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 1584210

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller capable of controlling a controller of multiple domains with one MCU in order to solve the above problems.

In addition, the present invention provides vehicle electronics using a multi-core microcontroller that allows a plurality of cores included in the microcontroller to efficiently use limited hardware resources (resources) in controlling controllers of different domains with one microcontroller. An object of the present invention is to provide a control device.

The present invention provides an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller, the multi-core microcontroller comprising: a first core for controlling a first domain; a second core for controlling a second domain; a shared resource that the first core and the second core can use in common; and an arbitration core that mediates use of the shared resource between the first core and the second core.

In one embodiment, the shared resource is a communication driver for communication with an external device, a clock generator for generating time information, a timer or system timer, an input/output port for signal input/output, an analog-to-digital converter, and a flash driver. It may include at least one.

In addition, each of the first core and the second core may communicate with the arbitration core through an inter-core interface.

In an embodiment, the interface between the cores may include an application interface (API).

In addition, in the API, two APIs having one direction between each of the first core and the second core and the mediation core may be provided as a pair.

The electronic control device for a vehicle may further include a first driving unit for driving the first domain and a second driving unit for driving the second domain.

In an embodiment, the arbitration core may trigger at least one periodic task of the first core and the second core.

In an embodiment, the arbitration core may process requests (Commands) of the first core and the second core in a command queue manner.

In addition, the command for the command queue, the electronic control device for a vehicle, characterized in that the data or variable information required to be transmitted is included as a parameter.

According to the present invention, a plurality of cores included in one MCU are responsible for a control function for controlling a plurality of domains, and a plurality of cores can use hardware resources together, thereby reducing production cost.

In addition, since the space for mounting the MCU on the printed circuit board can be reduced, the degree of design freedom of the electronic control device can be increased and the size of the electronic control device can be reduced.

1 shows the configuration of a conventional electronic control device for multiple control.
2 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a multi-core microcontroller in an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
4 shows a software architecture for operating a multi-core in an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a task processing method in a multi-core in an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a command queue method in an interface between cores in an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a diagram illustrating an application example of an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited thereto and may be variously implemented by those skilled in the art without being limited thereto.

1 shows the configuration of a conventional electronic control device for multiple control.

The conventional electronic control device 10 for a vehicle generally includes an individual controller for each domain to be controlled. Here, the domain may be understood to mean a control object, function, or area within a vehicle, such as an engine, a transmission, an airbag, and a headlamp. The conventional electronic control device 10 includes a plurality of controllers 20 and 30 for controlling a plurality of domains. 1 illustrates a first controller 20 and a second controller 30 as an example.

The first controller 20 performs a control function of the first domain, and the second controller 30 performs a control function of the second domain. The first controller 20 includes an MCU 22 , a driving unit 24 for operating a specific element included in the domain, and a power supply unit 26 for transmitting power for operation of the controller. The second controller 30 includes an MCU 32 , a driving unit 34 for operating a specific element included in the domain, and a power supply unit 36 for transmitting power for operation of the controller. The power supply units 26 and 36 may further include a function of monitoring the operating state of each of the controllers 20 and 30 .

In each of the controllers 20 and 30, the microcontrollers (hereinafter also referred to as 'MCU') 22 and 32 communicate with the driving units 24 and 34 and the power supply units 26 and 36 in an SPI communication manner. In addition, each of the controllers 20 and 30 may communicate with other controllers or other modules of the vehicle. In FIG. 1 , CAN communication is exemplified as a communication method.

However, in this conventional electronic control device 20, there is a disadvantage that a plurality of controllers 20 and 30 each having MCUs 22 and 32 must be provided in order to perform electronic control on a plurality of domains. did.

2 is a view showing a basic configuration of a vehicle electronic control device using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a vehicle electronic control device using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a multi-core microcontroller in a device.

The electronic control apparatus 100 for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention generates the MCU 110 including the multi-core 120 and respective driving signals for controlling a plurality of domains. and a plurality of driving units 150 and 160 , and a power supply unit 170 for supplying operating power to the MCU 110 and the driving units 150 and 160 .

The plurality of driving units 150 and 160 includes a first driving unit 150 for driving the first domain and a second driving unit 160 for driving the second domain, and as shown in FIG. 2 , two It may be possible to include three or more driving units as well as the driving units 150 and 160 .

The MCU 110 includes a multi-core 120 , and the multi-core 120 includes a first core 130-1 for the first driving unit 150 and a second core 130-2 for the second driving unit. ) and an arbitration core 140 for managing a common resource (shared resource) of the MCU 110 . The first core 130-1 is for controlling the first domain, and the second core 130-2 is for controlling the second domain, and the number of these cores increases according to the number of domains to be controlled. and may include up to the Nth Nth core 130-n.

The MCU 110 may communicate with the outside of the electronic control device 100 . As an example of such communication, CAN communication is exemplified in FIG. 2 , but in addition to CAN communication, communication methods such as Ethernet, LIN, FLEXRAY, etc. Thus, each controller can communicate with an external device.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the MCU 110 includes a first core 130-1, a second core 130-2, and an N-th core 130-n, and an arbitration core 140, and these It includes a shared resource (resource) 200 connected to the system bus (180).

The shared resource 200 is a hardware resource provided in the MCU 110 so that the first core 130-1, the second core 130-2, and the N-th core 130-n can use it in common. The shared resource 200 includes a CAN communication driver 202, a LIN communication driver 204 or an Ethernet driver 206 for communication with an external device; SPC communication driver 208 for communication between the MCU 110 and the driving units 130 and 140 or the power supply unit 150; a clock generator 210, a timer 212, and a system timer 214 for generating time information; an input/output port 216 for signal input and processing, ADC (analog-to-digital converter) 218; interrupt 220; and a flash driver 222 for data storage. Of course, these configurations are examples of the shared resource 200 and may be added or excluded as needed.

Referring to the configuration of the multi-core MCU 110 of FIG. 3 , a multi-core 120 having a plurality of cores is provided in the MCU 110, but only one shared resource 200 is provided for each type, so that the multi-core ( 120) have no choice but to share and use these shared resources. Accordingly, it is required to mediate the shared resource use of the plurality of cores 130-1 to 130-n included in the multi-core 120, and the mediation core 140 includes the plurality of cores 130-1 to 130-n. ) to mediate the use of shared resources.

4 shows a software architecture for operating a multi-core in an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The first to N-th cores 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n each include first to N-th domain control SWs for controlling the first to N-th domains, and the first to N-th domains, respectively. The N domain control SW has a system service for linking with other cores or the mediation core 140 and each domain-specific function as a sub-layer.

The mediation core 140 includes MCAL SW, which includes a system service and a microcontroller abstraction layer (MCAL) as sub-layers.

Here, 'system service' refers to an operating system (OS) for MCU operation or a task to be performed by each core. 'MCAL' controls a shared resource provided in the MCU, and may be understood as SW that performs a function of reading/righting a register of a shared resource and processing an interrupt.

In one embodiment, the domain control SW of the first core to the Nth core 130-1, 130-2, 130-n and the MCAL SW of the mediation core 140 are connected through the inter-core interface 300 . The inter-core interface 300 includes an API (Application Interface) in which the first to N-th cores 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n are connected to the mediation core 140 .

In one embodiment, the first core to the N-th core 130 - 1 , 130 - 2 , 130 - n may be provided with two APIs having one direction as a pair. That is, between the first core 130-1 and the mediation core 140, the interface (MCAL → first domain API 310a) from the mediation core 140 to the first core 130-1, and the first core An interface (first domain→MCAL API 130b) from 130-1 to the mediation core 140 is provided. Between the second core 130-2 and the mediation core 140, an interface (MCAL→Second Domain API 320a) from the mediation core 140 to the second core 130-2, and the second core 130 -2) to the mediation core 140 (second domain → MCAL API 320b) is provided. Between the N-th core 130-n and the mediation core 140 , the interface (MCAL→N-th domain API 330a) from the mediation core 140 to the N-th core 130-n) and the N-th core 130 -n) to the mediation core 140 (Nth domain → MCAL API 330b) is provided.

The interfaces 310a, 320a, and 330a from the first core to the Nth core 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n in the mediation core 140 provide a function provided by the Mcal SW of the mediation core 140. It may be used when each control SW of the first to Nth cores 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n is intended to be used. As an example of the function provided by Mcal SW, there may be an SPI transmission request function, an ADC value acquisition function, a Flash save request function, and the like.

The interfaces 310b, 320b, and 330b from the first core to the Nth core 130-1, 130-2, 130-n to the mediation core 140 are, the first core to the Nth core 130-1, 130-2, 130-n) may be used when the Mcal SW of the mediation core 140 wants to use a function provided by each control SW. As an example of the function provided by the control SW, there may be a callback function after receiving SPI, a memory service notification function after saving Flash, and the like.

The first to Nth cores 130 - 1 , 130 - 2 and 130 - n are connected to the shared resource 200 in the MCU 110 through the arbitration core 140 . In addition, the first core to the N-th core 130 - 1 , 130 - 2 , and 130 - n may be connected to each other through the mediation core 140 .

In other words, when the first core 130-1 intends to use any one of the shared resources 200, the first core 130-1 transmits the first domain → the mediation core 140 through the MCAL API 130b. ), the arbitration core 140 forwards the request of the first core 130-1 to any one of the shared resources 200, and the response from the shared resource 200 is MCAL from the arbitration core 140 → It is transmitted to the first core 130-1 through the first domain API 310a. In addition, signal transmission between the first core 130 - 1 and the second core 130 - 2 may also be performed through the mediation core 140 . That is, the first to Nth cores 130 - 1 , 130 - 2 , and 130 - n may access the shared resource 200 or access other cores through the mediation core 140 .

As described above, in the present invention, MCAL SW for controlling the shared resource 200 of the MCU 110 is disposed in one arbitration core 140 , and the first to Nth cores using the shared resource 200 ( The domain control SWs of 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n may access the MCAL SW provided in the mediation core 140 through the inter-core interface 300 .

5 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a task processing method in a multi-core in the electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. In an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller, it is a diagram exemplarily illustrating a command queue method in an interface between cores.

Since it is necessary to control multiple domains using the shared resource 200 in a situation in which a plurality of cores are provided in one MCU 110 , it is necessary to control system services (OS, task, etc.). Since the first to Nth cores 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n have different domains controlled by each, a separate periodic task must be provided for each, but the clock generator 210 and the system timer 214 and Since one shared resource 200 must be used in common, it is necessary to control the tasks for each core.

To this end, in the present invention, in the arbitration core 140 separated into the MCAL SW, each domain control SW triggers a periodic task to be performed, so that the arbitration core 140 supervises the basic operation of the periodic task. In one embodiment, the arbitration core 140 performs an MCAL periodic task (eg, 1ms Task, 10ms Task, etc.), and triggers each domain periodic task in the MCAL periodic task to trigger the first core to Nth cores 130 - 1 , 130 - 2 , and 130 - n may perform their periodic tasks.

In addition, when the first to Nth cores 130-1, 130-2, and 130-n need to use the shared resource 200 when performing their periodic tasks, the inter-core interface 300 is used. to request the mediation core 140 .

That is, referring to FIG. 5 , the arbitration core 140 may trigger the periodic task of specific cores 130 - 1 and 130 - 2 by performing the MCAL periodic task. When it is necessary to use the shared resource 200 while performing periodic tasks in specific cores 130-1 and 130-2, the MCAL Command Queue is requested. The arbitration core 140 performs the MCAL task according to the MCAL Command Queue requested by the specific cores 130-1 and 130-2.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the Command Queue method in the inter-core interface 300 is illustrated. The above-described inter-core interface 300 is an interface layer for processing API calls, and the first to N-th cores 130-1, 130-2, 130-n and the mediation core 140 are inter-core interface 300 ) in the Command Queue method to process calls.

In the case of inter-core data transfer, the mediation core 140 may be used to transmit data, and data transfer may be performed using a function parameter through a function call method. The function call request is "Command", and a plurality of commands can be sequentially performed in a queue manner. Each command may include an API ID indicating a specific API 310a, 310b, 320a, 320b, 330a, 330b, a callback function address, an execution task ID, and the like. In addition, data or variable information that needs to be transmitted may be transmitted to each command through a parameter.

When a specific command is requested from the first core to the N-th core 130-1, 130-2, 130-n, the arbitration core 140 may sequentially process it. To this end, the arbitration core 140 may deliver to process the request of the specific core 130-1, 130-2, 130-n through the shared resource 200. In addition, the arbitration core 140 transmits the processing result in the shared resource 140 or the information received through the communication ports of the shared resource 140 to the first core to the Nth core 130-1, 130-2, 130- n) can be passed.

7 is a diagram illustrating an application example of an electronic control device for a vehicle using a multi-core microcontroller according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7 , a case in which data is stored in the flash memory 400 in the first core 130 - 1 will be described as an example.

Referring to FIG. 7A , the first core 130-1 transmits a flash storage request to the mediation core 140 through the API 310a. The arbitration core 140 transmits a data storage request to the flash driver 222 belonging to the shared resource 200 , and the flash driver 222 stores the requested data in the flash memory 400 .

Referring to (b) of FIG. 7 , when data storage in the flash memory 400 is completed, the flash driver 222 transmits the storage completion information to the mediation core 140 , and the mediation core 140 uses the API 310b. ) to transfer the storage completion information to the first core 130-1.

According to the present invention, in the electronic control device for a vehicle employing a microcontroller having a multi-core, a plurality of cores can effectively use a shared resource by utilizing an arbitration core.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and various modifications, changes, and substitutions are possible within the range that does not depart from the essential characteristics of the present invention by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. will be. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention and the accompanying drawings are intended to explain, not to limit the technical spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments and the accompanying drawings. . The protection scope of the present invention should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100: electronic control device for a vehicle
110 : MCU
120: multi-core
130: first driving unit
140: second driving unit
150: power supply
160: system bus
200 : shared resource
300: interface between cores

Claims (9)

A vehicle electronic control device using a multi-core microcontroller, comprising:
The multi-core microcontroller,
a first core for controlling the first domain;
a second core for controlling a second domain;
a shared resource that the first core and the second core can use in common; and
an arbitration core that mediates the shared resource use of the first core and the second core;
An electronic control device for a vehicle comprising a. The method of claim 1,
The shared resource includes at least one of a communication driver for communication with an external device, a clock generator for generating time information, a timer or system timer, an input/output port for signal input/output, an analog-to-digital converter, and a flash driver An electronic control device for a vehicle, characterized by the The method of claim 1,
Each of the first core and the second core communicates with the mediation core through an inter-core interface. 4. The method of claim 3,
The interface between the cores, the electronic control device for a vehicle, characterized in that it includes an API (Application Interface). 5. The method of claim 4,
The API includes two APIs having one direction between each of the first core and the second core and the mediation core, wherein the API is provided as a pair. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The electronic control device for a vehicle further comprising: a first driving unit for driving the first domain; and a second driving unit for driving the second domain. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
and the mediation core triggers a periodic task of at least one of the first core and the second core. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The arbitration core, the electronic control device for a vehicle, characterized in that for processing the request (Command) of the first core and the second core in a command queue method. 9. The method of claim 8,
The command for the command queue, the electronic control device for a vehicle, characterized in that the data or variable information required to be transmitted is included as a parameter.

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